That's the Way I Loved You
by luckythirteenx
Summary: [Rated for language; Kagome x Inuyasha] "… I mean, it's probably love at this point, right?" Kagome took a breath.


**Disclaimer- **Inuyasha is owned by Rumiko Takahashi. _The Way I Loved You _is owned by Taylor Swift. _Doom To All _is my cheesy, not real, very cleverly named movie, though.

**A/N: **So as I crash land my way back into fan fiction, I banged this out in about 6 hours on and off, including much editing. I'm not a fan of song fics, but, well, I went down memory lane with this song and this fandom and I couldn't resist.

Lyrics are in bold. If I missed any, my apologies, for I had them sectioned off with colors in my original document.

In my head, I'm picturing Tess Asher's slow cover of this song. Please go search the video on YouTube; she's very talented, and I love this cover! Also, heavy rain and slow songs are my cheesy downfall. Also, made some edits as 1/21/15.

Enjoy. All feedback is appreciated. xo

* * *

><p><strong>He is sensible and so incredible<br>And all my single friends are jealous  
>He says everything I need to hear and it's like<br>I couldn't ask for anything better**

Kagome sighed as she walked out of school, with Eri, Yuka, and Ayumi in tow. She stretched, hearing the satisfying pops and cracks from her shoulders and back before turning and facing her chattering friends.

She opened her mouth to add to the conversation when Yuka's squeal cut her off and Eri began waving frantically and yelling, "Oh, Hojo! Hey, Hojo, over here!"

Kagome and Ayumi blinked, sharing a look, before turning to face the boy coming up to them.

The former two twittered over him as they exchanged pleasantries before light brown eyes landed on dark brown.

Kagome inwardly groaned but outwardly plastered on a smiled as Hojo approached her.

"Kagome, you look well! How is your fungus and torn ACL?"

She sweat dropped, her voice raising a few octaves as she answered him. "Eheheh... um, all good here, thanks, Hojo." Kagome mentally noted to give her grandpa an earful about these "illnesses".

"I'm so glad! Does that mean you can accompany me next Saturday to that new movie, _Doom To All_?" Hojo asked, smiling brightly.

Her friends made various expressions and gestures to her behind his back, clearly indicating to accept his offer.

Kagome cleared her throat nervously, before sighing lightly, "Hojo, I -"

"She would love to!" Yuka butted in, throwing herself on top of Kagome in a bear hug. The shorter girl stuttered, helplessly trying to find a reason to back out. Ayumi threw her an apologetic look. Kagome looked at Eri and Yuka's huge grins and Hojo's bright, hopeful expression before giving in with another sigh and nodding. Hojo beamed and bounced on his heels.

"Wonderful! I'll pick you up at five-o-clock! I'll be going now, see you then! Bye girls!" He ran off, waving until he had to turn away, lest he be ran over by their fellow schoolmates milling about departing as the school day had ended.

Yuka, Eri, and Ayumi all squealed, shooting Kagome a million questions, not even caring that she was clearly not answering them.

_'__Now what am I going to do, there's no way _he's_ going to let me back here to go on a date with _Hojo_...'_ she thought, before starting. _'Who said it was a date, anyway? It could be just a friend thing ... Oh, who am I kidding. It's totally a date.'_

Kagome sighed for the third time in ten minutes, following behind her crazed friends in a slight mope.

**He opens up my door and I get into his car  
>And he says, you look beautiful tonight<br>And I feel perfectly fine**

"I. Said. NO!" A yell broke through the serene calm around the Feudal Era, as a flock of demon birds took off from their perches in the forest that was named after the very person creating such the fuss.

Kagome hoped that by taking Inuyasha away from their friends - with caring but nosy opinions - would cause the half demon to feel less on edge, allowing them to talk freely and (going out on a limb here but) be a little more ... understanding of her predicament.

Hojo had asked her just yesterday and Kagome thought telling Inuyasha in advance instead of the day before would help her cause. However, all her attempts seemed to have little to no effect on the short-tempered dog demon, who was loudly shooting down her every word.

Kagome exhaled just as loudly, trying to keep her patience and own temper in check.

_'__Fighting gets you nowhere,'_ she reminded herself. _'You catch more ... honey, with bees .. vinegar? Oh, forget it!'_

"Inuyasha..."

He cut her off, "I shoulda known you were up to something, getting me alone and shit! Keh! I ain't stupid, you ain't goin' HOME to no HOBO! AND THAT'S FINAL!"

Kagome's eyebrow twitched. _'I don't even wanna go that bad, why are we still arguing about this? And he just used a few double negatives...'_

"It's Hojo." Amber eyes glared at her.

"His name is ... nevermind. Look, Inuyasha, I don't even want to go, but my friends conned me into it and I don't wanna disappoint him, it obviously means a lot to him and you know, I still have a life -"

"I'll bet it fucking does! Mean a lot to him, my ass!"

Kagome's eyebrow twitched _again_ after being interrupted _again_. "He can't wait to get his greasy paws all over you, all alone and the things you'd probably wear! Keh! It's a no!"

Kagome's patience mantra was out the window.

"First of all, the only one with paws here is YOU, dog - boy ! And second, WHAT WOULD I WEAR, IN - U -YA- SHA.?" Her deadly tone and emphasis on his name and nickname would have ordinarily caused him to stop his rampage, but not today. Today this half demon was standing his ground, dammit, and he would have none of her fighting.

**But I miss screamin' and fightin'  
>And kissin' in the rain<strong>

"I'm sure you want him to be all over you, that's what! I don't know what you'd wear, wench! I've seen your closet! They all look like - like - short - things! Very short! Men ALWAYS stare, Ka - go - meeee!" Inuyasha huffed, imitating her emphasizing and drawing himself tall.

"Maybe you should stop being so freaking JEALOUS, especially since I'm not ASKING for your permission! I'm TELLING you!"

"JEALOUS? I AM NOT, JEALOUS!"

"YES YOU ARE!"

"TO BE JEALOUS, I'D HAVE TO CARE!"

Kagome growled, slightly shocking Inuyasha but he ambled on. "AND I DON'T CARE, BECAUSE I KNOW YOU'RE MINE AND HE CAN'T HAVE YOU, THAT'S IT! YOU CAN'T GO, WENCH! AND YEAH, YOU NEED FUCKING PERMISSION. WHICH YOU _DON'T _HAVE."

Inuyasha finished his yell with a huff, a "keh", and turned away. Kagome stood stock still, not daring to even breathe. Silence passed between them, neither of them sure of for how long.

"I'm yours?" she asked quietly, staring at his back.

Inuyasha tensed, his mind processing her question before realizing he had indeed shouted this. His mind went into overdrive, not knowing how to come back from it and hoping she just would drop it and "sit" him or something.

He lucked out because a small hand on his shoulder caused him to hesitate before turning around and her eyes - _those fucking brown eyes _- were staring right into his. They both held their breath, waiting for either one to make a move.

Inuyasha swallowed and with a mental, _'Fuck it' _, he leaned down, closing the distance between them with his lips on hers.

A moment's pause and soon, Kagome's mind kicked in, _'Kiss him back!'_

She threw her arms around his neck, pressing back against his lips and Inuyasha growled, pulling her against him by the waist.

He nipped at her bottom lip. She answered his request, and the kiss deepened. He hoisted her up by her ass, her legs coming to wrap around his waist. He backed her up against a tree - _their_ tree - kissing her senseless. She pulled back for a breath, his mouth going to her neck.

**And it's two a.m. and I'm cursin' your name**

Kagome's mind was whirling, her skin was on fire, and she couldn't catch her breath - and it was _fucking _amazing.

She barely noted the drizzle falling around them, and they both definitely didn't care as he sucked on her neck. She writhed against him, and he loved every single second of it. His hands were everywhere at once, and she reciprocated, not getting enough of him and having too much at the same time.

**You're so in love that you act insane**

She tugged his head up from her neck, recapturing his lips with hers. He swallowed her moans, answering with a growl as he spun them around, sliding down the tree to collapse in a heap of arms and legs and clothes at its' base.

Their lips stayed connected as they shifted themselves back together, grabbing at each other. The drizzle gave way to an all out downpour, only fueling their passion as the world slipped away.

**And that's the way I loved you**

His hands in her hair, her lips on his neck, the growls and moans and the _rush _- god, she'd never known anything that felt like this.

This was their moment; intimate, private, all theirs, no one else was around nor knew.

The rain continued to fall, cloaking them, as if saying, _'I'll protect you, young lovers.'_

They barely pulled away for breath before diving right back in, touching and caressing and _just feeling._

**Breakin' down and comin' undone**

At some point, one of them - who even knows right now - took an extra breath and both their eyes snapped open.

**It's a roller-coaster kinda rush**

Panting, Kagome took a mental step back to asses their position. She was in his lap, straddling him, arms around his neck and Inuyasha was pressed against the God Tree, one hand in her hair and the other up her shirt.

They stared at each other, drenched and still clinging to each other, neither daring to break the silence or move.

Kagome licked her lips as she came down from the adrenaline, clearing her throat. Inuyasha licked his own in response, hand moving from her hair to her cheek and the other settling at her hip.

"Kagome..." his voice was husky and her name sounded strange to her own ears. She cleared her throat again before starting.

"Inu - I -"

The half demon shook his head, his thumb stroking her face softly. "I l-"

She stopped him with a finger to his lips. He blinked, eyes crossing to stare at the index finger, before looking back at her.

Chocolate eyes met amber. A beat passed before Kagome pulled herself up, breaking their contact and the moment was shattered. His hands fell limp at his sides as he gazed up at her, so much riding on this one single moment in time.

Suddenly, the rain sounded too loud to his ears and he was as small as ant and she was as tall as their tree.

"Don't," she said, her voice wavering the slightest. "It's not right."

"What?" he barked out. She flinched slightly at the harsh tone, and he regretted for an instant as his ears pinned back, but he meant it. What the fuck was she saying, it's not right?

"It's not the right time."

Inuyasha gaped at her, incredulous. "Do you know how stupid you sound? The right time? Fuck that!"

She shook her head with a sad smile. Inuyasha growled, springing up to be face to face with her. "Kagome, don't -"

She took a few steps back, not reaching his eyes.

"I'm going back." His eyes widened as he realized the double meaning held in her statement.

**And I never knew I could feel that much  
>And that's the way I loved you<strong>

"Kagome -" He didn't finish, as the girl took off running, never looking back.

Inuyasha growled, but didn't follow her. He ran a clawed hand through his soaked hair, aggravated. He punched the God Tree - _their fucking tree, godammit _- so many times he just lost count after fifteen as the blood ran down his knuckles to mix with the rain.

**He respects my space and never makes me wait  
>And he calls exactly when he says he will<br>He's close to my mother  
>Talks business with my father<br>He's charming and endearing, and I'm comfortable**

Hojo rang her bell, five o-clock on the dot.

Mama answered the door and their voices drifted upstairs. Kagome took a last look in the mirror, smoothing down her black skirt and adjusting her pink shirts' collar. Her outfit resembled her normal uniform, right down to the knee highs and fashionable white scarf.

She grabbed her purse, taking a last look out her window - _their tree - _before shaking her head and shutting the door behind her.

As Kagome descended the stairs, Hojo caught her gaze. His whole face lit up with a grin, and the girl cringed slightly inside at not meeting his joy completely. She pushed the thought away, returning his smile (nowhere near as brightly) as her mother turned to face her.

The older woman peered down at her daughter unnervingly.

"Mama?" Kagome struggled to meet her gaze.

Her mother blinked and smiled, as if nothing weird had happened.

"Kagome, you look so nice in that new skirt I just bought you! I hope you two have a lovely time! I heard that this movie was really "action packed"!" Her mother emphasized the air quotes on the phrase, causing the boy to chuckle lightly.

Kagome blinked, having completely forgotten what movie they were even going to see. Hojo took no notice of any of this, nodding to her mothers' comment.

"Yes, I heard that it is quite thrilling!" He looked back at Kagome, who smiled back hesitantly.

"I'm sure it'll be great." Her voice was quiet, even to her own ears, earning her another look from Mama. Kagome brushed it off - she had to, it was the only way to get through this.

_'__No, don't say it like that. You're going to have a good time and forget all about ...'_ she stopped her musings right then and there. Forget. That's exactly what she would do. With a nod, Kagome pepped herself up visibly and grabbed Hojo's arm.

"Well, let's be on our way. I can't wait to be thrilled! Bye, mama!"

Hojo look surprised at her taking the lead, but continued on with her. "Goodbye, Ms. Higurashi. We'll be back by 9:30, sharp!"

Mama waved goodbye, not missing how Kagome slumped slightly at the boy's declaration as they made their way to the shrine steps.

'_Leave it to Hojo to be the goody-two shoes to my mom._' she grumbled mentally.

**He can't see the smile I'm fakin'**

Kagome and Hojo arrived at her doorstep at 9:25pm. Hojo confirmed this with a proud flourish of his black wristwatch, before turning to Kagome. She gave him a weak smile in response.

"Well, thank you for today, Hojo, and for picking me up, _and_ walking me home. It was very gentlemanlike of you."

The boy blushed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Of course, Higurashi! Oops, I mean, Kagome!" He chuckled at his slip, knowing that she had corrected him about five - _twelve, actually, but who's counting?_ - different times today.

Kagome gave a weak chuckle of her own, shifting her weight around slightly.

"Well, I should -"

"I just -"

They both stopped, and laughed nervously.

"I should be going," Kagome said before he could start again. She turned toward the door, moving to unlock it as she bid her final farewells, "Goodnight and thank -"

She never got to finish her sentence because Hojo grabbed her elbow lightly, pulling her back and before she could register it, his lips were lightly on hers.

**And my heart's not breakin'**

One heartbeat.

Two.

Three.

As quick as it started, it was over. Kagome touched her fingers to her lips, as Hojo's face heated up.

"Um, Hig- ahhh, Kagome. I just - I really, really like you. And you're not always healthy or around, so I just wanted to tell you now, when I could." Hojo shifted this time, nervously rubbing his right hand up and down his left arm.

"You know, it just seemed like ... the right time."

Kagome snapped out of whatever daze she fell into.

_'__The right time...'_ his words echoed in her head. Something in her clicked, but unfortunately for Hojo, it wasn't for him.

**'Cause I'm not feelin' anything at all**

"Hojo -" she started, but he raised a hand to stop her.

"I know. You like me, but ... you don't like me _the most_." Kagome gasped, gaping at him.

"You - but you -" He chuckled at her fish out of water impression.

"I figured as much. Yuka, Eri, and Ayumi are always chattering about another guy, and today you had fun, just ... not the kind of fun I had hoped for. Am I right?" He paused, taking her silence as an answer.

"I'm sorry I kissed you. I just .. I had to tell you my feelings. I had to say it, because otherwise, you would have never known - officially, I mean. Now I know you know, and there's no misinterpretation. It's okay, though. You don't need to like me the most. I just hope you tell this guy, whoever he is, that you like him the most."

Kagome felt tears well up in her eyes as her long-time friend confessed his heart and accepted her breaking it in one breath, before encouraging her to - to what? Tell ... tell who she liked the most her feelings?

_'__Inuyasha...'_

Hojo smiled, pulling her in for a friendly hug. She returned it, taking in his smell before letting go.

They stood at arms length, smiling at each other.

"Friends?" she managed.

Hojo smiled, a face lighting up one. "Of course!"

She smiled, a genuine one.

He took a step back but stopped. "Is he really as violent and aggressive as they say he is?"

Kagome's smiled widened and with a slight shake of her head, she turned to go back in with a last goodbye.

**And you were wild and crazy  
>Just so frustrating, intoxicating, complicated<strong>

The front door closed and reality weighed heavily back in. Kagome all but dragged herself up her stairs, confused and tired and just -

"Ughhhhh!" She threw herself on her bed with a huff, feeling only a small fraction better.

She laid there before she couldn't stand not moving anymore. She bobbed around the room, tidying up what she could, keeping her hands moving. Her scarf ended up around her alarm clock, her purse on top of Buyo, and she would have just kept herself busy with idle tasks if her foot hadn't connected with a very familiar object. A very familiar _full _object.

Her stupid yellow backpack.

Kagome stared down at the thing, not making a single sound as if it would disappear if she didn't acknowledge it.

But she knew it wouldn't. It wouldn't just go away, just like ignoring her real problems wouldn't just make them disappear.

**Got away by some mistake and now**

She had left - just up and ran away, like usual. Looking back, she wanted to throttle her past self, to run up to her and turn her back around.

_'__Enough of being a child!'_ she would chide herself. _'It's the time to face your feelings - you can't keep waiting and waiting! Either he returns them or he doesn't, that's it!'_

But of course, she did none of that. She pushed him away, pushed it all away, frustrated with him and herself and Hojo and Kikyo and Naraku and the freakin' Shikon jewel and -

_'__No,'_ Kagome stopped herself, literally pausing in her steps, staring out the window unintentionally at the God Tree in her time as the rain started. _'Enough excuses. Enough obstacles - there's always going to be a reason "why" and ten more "why not"s. It's now or never!'_

**I miss screamin' and fightin'  
>And kissin' in the rain<strong>

Kagome ran as fast as she could, soaking wet and not giving a damn. It was pouring out, lightning and thunder to boot now, and yet, it was perfect. It was raining_ that_ day, and it was raining now, all the more for her to believe the universe was giving her to O.K.; time was finally on her side, urging her to go after what she denied herself for so long.

The adrenaline fueled her as she flung the well house door open, barely slowing to a decent speed to pound down the stairs and jump down the well itself with no hesitation.

_'__C'mon, old friend,_' Kagome thought fondly as the blue light enveloped her, delivering her to her destination - to her home.

She climbed up the vines, which were slippery as the weather five hundred years in the past was similar to the one she just left. She grunted as her shoes slipped, elbows and knees skinning the wooden walls.

Kagome noted the wounds as blood ran down her arms and legs, but the adrenaline masked any slight pain it would have caused. Not that she would've slowed down anyway; she was way too pumped and determined to stop now.

Finally reaching the top, she heaved herself over before making a mad dash across the field. Graceful as ever, Kagome slid quite a few times, mud kicking up all over her bottom half.

She growled to herself on the last fall, landing harder on her tailbone than all the other incidents. As she picked herself up (yet again), frustration growing, clawed hands plucked her from the wet grass easily.

Kagome started, finding herself staring into those familiar - and confused - amber eyes. Her mind did a little victory dance as her heart sped up, the two working in over time as she slowly registered that her target was reached.

Inuyasha blinked at her, keeping his hands at her sides as she righted herself on the slippery earth.

The two stood still, neither making a move, as the downpour continued and thunder rumbled on.

Snapping herself out of their connection, Kagome drew herself tall and addressed him, "I've been away for two weeks, Inuyasha. Two weeks!"

He blinked at her sudden outburst, opening and closing his mouth in what would have been comical if not for the seriousness of the moment.

She noted this for later times when she needed a good laugh, but pressed on, even more determined at his silence. "Fourteen days, twelve hours, and thirteen minutes, to be exact! And you know what? I can't believe you didn't come get me in that time! What, did you think you could get rid of me? Well, dog-boy, you got something else coming to you! I'm here to stay!"

The gears in Inuyasha's head slowly began turning, as his brain clicked back to the present. He flexed his claws against her hips, feeling her warm and wet and actually _there_**_._**

**It's two a.m. and I'm cursin' your name **

He knew how long it had been, silly girl. He was counting, too - he always counted the time passing when she left. For the past fourteen days, twelve hours, ten minutes he had been in between a hazed state of her being there, _home_, in front of him, but never had it been real - until now.

_'__But she's the one who left, she ran away! She said the fucking timing was wrong!' _he thought, processing all his feelings at once. He was happy, so fucking happy to see her, but he knew she was with _Hobo _today. So what, she came to rub it in his face?

The storm had slowed his nose from picking up her scent, but a wind at the perfect moment of her first fall had him running - flying, really - toward the well from the God Tree. He had spent almost all of the past two weeks there, just replaying every detail from _that day_ over and over in his head.

Of course, each time he picked something else out that he cursed himself out about, thinking he was to blame as to why the girl was gone, and wondering when or if he would see her again.

_"__I'm here to stay!"_ his mind suddenly booted back up, registering the girl half-shouting at him, face flustered - from the rain, or how much she wanted to convey her words to her - what were they? - _companion_, he wasn't sure - before finally finding his own words.

**I'm so in love that I acted insane  
>And that's the way I loved you<strong>

"Oi! No one said shit about you leaving or bein' gone for good or nothing! You did, wench! You're the one who fuckin' left in the first place!" Inuyasha huffed. He was happy to see her, but who the hell did she think she was coming back here angry? He was the one who should be angry, dammit.

Kagome had to good grace to look ashamed before starting up again, until the half demon interrupted her.

"And you could've came back, I don't gotta go draggin' your ass! You would've just been more mad anyway! So keh!"

Articulate as ever, Inuyasha released her hips in favor of crossing his arms, turning away from the school girl slightly. He narrowly eyed her dirty skirt, knee highs, and shoes as she stomped her feet, before looking away again, fixed glare at something in the distance.

His eyes opened wide again as she let out an almost inhuman growl, before reaching up and grabbing his forelocks down to her level.

**Breakin' down and comin' undone  
>It's a roller-coaster kinda rush<strong>

"Oi, you wench, there's a head attached!" he managed to get out, before she smashed her lips over his. Inuyasha's mind turned back to mush, before kicking back up, a bit faster than before, and pulling back in surprise.

Kagome snapped open her eyes, releasing his hair as he stumbled backwards.

"But Ka- the last time - you -" he stuttered out. "What the fuck, wench?!"

She sighed and took a step forward. He took a step backward, throwing her an angry glance that told her she had some explaining to do before she tried that again.

She stopped, running a hand through her thoroughly soaked hair and smoothing out her shirt in a nervous gesture, looking up to meet his eyes again.

Inuyasha felt his breath catch as he could basically read the determination - and love? - all over her face.

Kagome spouted out, "I know I ran away and was gone for a long time and I'm sorry but I needed ... time! But I've had enough of time! I don't care anymore! I'm tired of doing what's easy!"

He blinked as Kagome's chest heaved up and down as she blurted out her feelings.

_'__What's easy?'_ he thought shortly before Kagome closed the distance between them, grabbing onto the front of his haori.

"Inuyasha, I want to kiss you. And I want you to want to kiss me. And I want to tell you how much I like you, because I do - I do like you, a whole lot, more than any guy I ... I have ever met. Even Hobo. Ah, Hojo. I mean, it's probably love at this point, right?" Kagome took a breath, realizing she was rambling.

"Okay then, yeah. That's it. I love you, Inuyasha. I know it's not easy, with all the shit we have deal with and it'll keep getting harder from now on but you know what - I don't fucking care! I love you and I'm going to kiss you again, okay?!"

Inuyasha started to doubt his intelligence as he found that all could do was blink in shock at this confession and _cursing!_ coming from Kagome.

He peered down at her, still grabbing onto him, just staring into his eyes, obviously waiting for a response.

**And I never knew I could feel that much  
>And that's the way I loved you<strong>

He shook his head quickly to clear it, as he remembered her last declaration.

"_I love you and I'm going to kiss you again, okay?!"_

Kagome's breath was coming in short puffs as amber eyes finally focused and locked to her brown ones, before a small smirk graced his - _oh so beautiful _- features.

"Okay."

**And that's the way I loved you**

He grabbed her face and their lips came together, much less roughly than the first time. Her arms snuck up around his neck, as she stretched on tip-toes to reach.

Inuyasha snuck a hand down to the small of her back, pulling her to him with the other arm around her waist.

Who deepened the kiss, neither of them could tell but it was wonderful - passionate and long and intoxicating.

Kagome broke away first, panting. As they locked eyes again, with only rain coming in between their bodies, she broke into a grin.

**I never knew I could feel that much**

Inuyasha stared into her beautiful, brown eyes, searching for a moment, before breaking into a smaller smile.

"I like you a lot, too. It's practically love at this point, Ka - go - me."

She threw her head back and laughed at his stress on her name and teasing of her rant. Inuyasha's grin rivaled her own when he snuck his other arm around her waist and hoisted her up, spinning them around the field.

Kagome squealed before continuing to laugh, her arms coming off his shoulders to spread out as he twirled.

They came to a dizzying halt, gravity weighing in as they fell to the earth with a light _'oof!'_ and tangled in each other.

**And that's the way I loved you**


End file.
